Directions

In a blender or food processor, combine sugar, lemon juice, onion, mustard, and salt. Process until well blended. With machine still running, add oil in a slow, steady stream until mixture is thick and smooth. Add poppy seeds, and process just a few seconds more to mix.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the romaine lettuce, shredded Swiss cheese, cashews, dried cranberries, apple, and pear. Pour dressing over salad just before serving, and toss to coat.

Most Helpful Positive Review

Oct 15, 2007

I don't give out 5 star ratings as often as I used to but we really enjoyed this salad and it is a definite keeper. I made a few small changes: chopped green leaf lettuce instead of romaine, roasted pecans instead of cashews, at least twice as much apple and pear and about 2 TBS less sugar. I wanted to have everything ready about an hour before it was time to toss everything together so I tossed the sliced apples and pears with some of the dressing. Besides staying nice and white they absorbed some of the wonderful dressing flavor. We enjoyed the Swiss cheese, but I want to try this with blue cheese next time. I think the sweetness of the dressing and the saltiness of the blue cheese would be perfect. 12/2004
Update 9/2007: I finally made this using blue cheese and I love it! My husband and I both liked it much better than the swiss cheese and this is the only way I will make it from now on.

Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 03, 2011

This recipe is very yummy!
I gave this a three star rating because I changed it a bit as follows:
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon dijon
1/3 cup veg. oil
Everything else I kept the same. I felt that there was way to much sugar, and oil. With fiddling with the amounts I found it can increase the actual taste over sweetness.
Increasing the Dijon mustard, and decreasing the sugar brings out the lemon, and Dijon tangy-ness that creates a more subtle taste.

This was very popular at our family dinner. The combination was different and tasty, but next time I will cut down on the sugar for the dressing. It was a little too sweet.
*UPDATE* I have tried this recipe with swiss, cheddar, and parmesan...and I think it is best without any cheese at all. To save time, I will often use bottled lemon poppyseed dressing and prewashed organic greens. I also use what ever nuts I have on hand but I like slivered (not sliced) almonds the best. This salad is ALWAYS eaten all up at church potlucks.

I made this recipe last year for Thanksgiving. It was my husband's and my first Thanksgiving after our wedding, and his parents, as well as my whole family were coming over to our new home. This salad impressed their socks off!! I made a great impression. Since then, I have been asked to make it for every family occasion, including Christmas, four birthdays, Easter, Memorial day, 4th of July and Labor day. It is a wonderfully easy, yet elegant salad. (Especially to impress your in-laws!)

This is one of the best salads I have ever made! I used about 2 cups of monteray jack cheese, 2 apples and probably another 1/2 cup of cashews. It was perfect and the dressing is to die for! It actually makes quite a bit of dressing, so you could easily add more lettuce and still have plenty of dressing.

I served this 2x in the same week! LOVED it! I made my dressing the day before so all the flavors would blend. Great! I used feta cheese (no swiss)and used Red Onion. I also cut up the fruit a few hours before and drizzled on some of the dresing, NO brown spots at all because of the lemon juice. I used a fresh lemons...the Best! Yeah it makes too much dressing for this serving...but it keeps well to throw on more salads, or it would make a great chicken marinade ... don't ya think?!!

I made this salad for a party and 9 people requested the recipe! That let me know it's a winner. It is now a favorite of my husband and me. If I use a standard bag of pre cut/washed romaine lettuce then I halve the dressing recipe. I often use 2 pears instead of the 1 apple, 1 pear. Also, often add a few more cranberries since they are so pretty. Even my kids love this salad. An inspired combination.

Wow - what a fabulous, yet elegant salad to serve at a holiday get togther or anytime for that matter! It's got a wonderful combination of flavors, colors and textures. The dressing is absolutely delicious and the proportions are spot-on, if I had to change anything I would use just a little less sugar. But other than that is was perfect. I just threw everything into a mini-food processor and gave it a whirl then poured it into a container and added the poppy seeds last and just shook it up. I used butter lettuce vs. romaine and toasted walnuts vs. cashews. I soaked my apples and pears in lemon water so they wouldn't brown. The Swiss cheese was very good and next time I might try a blue cheese or even a feta. Great recipe that's very easy and something you'll want to make again!

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.